In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. (Heb1:1-2).
God made Himself known to the entire world in His Creation (general revelation). He also revealed Himself in Scripture (special revelation) – through the prophets in the Old Testament and through His Son and apostles in the New. But mankind chooses to ignore both forms of revelation. He suppresses the truth and creates his own gods.
This running from God can be seen in our own culture in the dramatic rise of secular humanism, which makes man himself a god. In his book "Culture Shift" Albert Mohler gives a remarkably clear-headed analysis of the current cultural issues and the anti-Christian philosophies that brought us to the current crisis. Figuring prominently among these historical influences is that of the late nineteenth, early twentieth century philosopher and educator John Dewey, who summed up his secular humanism in his book "A Common Faith," published in 1934. After dismissing both of the ways in which God has revealed Himself to man, in a manner similar to that of current atheists such as Richard Dawkins who say that science has buried God, Dewey proceeds to create his own religion without God. He concludes his book with the statement, “Here are all the elements for a religious faith that shall not be confined to sect, class, or race. Such a faith has always been implicitly the common faith of mankind. It remains to make it explicit and militant.” (p.87). Dewey’s “common faith” did not take root immediately, but with the growth of organizations such as the ACLU and NEA (National Education Association), this “new” religion is now being made “explicit and militant” in our own time. I commend Al Mohler’s book to every Christian who wants to engage in the culture war, confronting the secular humanism of our culture with the timeless truth of the Bible.
